By: Pickett, Phillips, Harper-Brown, Darby, H.J.R. No. 2
      et al.
 
 
 
A JOINT RESOLUTION
  proposing a constitutional amendment to provide for revenue from
  motor fuel taxes to be used solely for constructing, maintaining,
  and acquiring rights-of-way for certain public roadways and to
  provide for the transfer of certain general revenue to the economic
  stabilization fund and the available school fund.
         BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Sections 49-g(c), (d), (e), and (h), Article
  III, Texas Constitution, are amended to read as follows:
         (c)  Not later than the 90th day of each fiscal year, the
  comptroller of public accounts shall transfer from general revenue
  to the economic stabilization fund an amount equal to the amount by
  which the sum of the amounts allocated under [prescribed by]
  Subsections (d) and (e) of this section for transfer under this
  subsection exceeds the amount to be transferred to the available
  school fund in that fiscal year in accordance with Section 5(h),
  Article VII, of this constitution. However, if necessary, the
  comptroller shall reduce proportionately the amounts to be
  transferred to the economic stabilization fund to prevent the
  amount in the fund from exceeding the limit in effect for that
  biennium under Subsection (g) of this section.
         (d)  If in the preceding year the state received from oil
  production taxes a net amount greater than the net amount of oil
  production taxes received by the state in the fiscal year ending
  August 31, 1987, the comptroller shall allocate for transfer to the
  economic stabilization fund under Subsection (c) of this section an
  amount of general revenue equal to 75 percent of the difference
  between those amounts. [The comptroller shall retain the remaining
  25 percent of the difference as general revenue.] In computing the
  net amount of oil production taxes received, the comptroller may
  not consider refunds paid as a result of oil overcharge litigation.
         (e)  If in the preceding year the state received from gas
  production taxes a net amount greater than the net amount of gas
  production taxes received by the state in the fiscal year ending
  August 31, 1987, the comptroller shall allocate for transfer to the
  economic stabilization fund under Subsection (c) of this section an
  amount of general revenue equal to 75 percent of the difference
  between those amounts. [The comptroller shall retain the remaining
  25 percent of the difference as general revenue.] For the purposes
  of this subsection, the comptroller shall adjust the [his]
  computation of revenues to reflect only 12 months of collection.
         (h)  In preparing an estimate of anticipated revenues for a
  succeeding biennium as required by Article III, Section 49a, of
  this constitution, the comptroller shall estimate the amount of the
  transfers that will be made under Subsections (b) and (c)[, (d), and
  (e)] of this section. The comptroller shall deduct that amount from
  the estimate of anticipated revenues as if the transfers were made
  on August 31 of that fiscal year.
         SECTION 2.  Section 5, Article VII, Texas Constitution, is
  amended by adding Subsections (h) and (i) to read as follows:
         (h)  Not later than the 90th day of each fiscal year, the
  comptroller of public accounts shall transfer from general revenue
  to the available school fund an amount equal to 25 percent of the
  net revenue remaining after payment of all refunds allowed by law
  and expenses of collection that is derived in the preceding fiscal
  year from all taxes, except gross production and ad valorem taxes,
  imposed on motor fuels used to propel motor vehicles over public
  roadways at the lesser of:
               (1)  the tax rates in effect at the time the taxes are
  imposed; or
               (2)  the tax rates in effect on July 1, 2013, if the
  taxes were imposed at those rates.
         (i)  In preparing an estimate of anticipated revenues for a
  succeeding biennium as required by Section 49a, Article III, of
  this constitution, the comptroller shall estimate the amount of the
  transfers that will be made under Subsection (h) of this section.
  The comptroller shall deduct that amount from the estimate of
  anticipated revenues as if the transfers were made on August 31 of
  that fiscal year.
         SECTION 3.  Section 7-a, Article VIII, Texas Constitution,
  is amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 7-a.  Subject to legislative appropriation, allocation
  and direction, all net revenues remaining after payment of all
  refunds allowed by law and expenses of collection derived from
  motor vehicle registration fees, and all taxes, except gross
  production and ad valorem taxes, on motor fuels and lubricants used
  to propel motor vehicles over public roadways, shall be used for the
  sole purpose of acquiring rights-of-way, constructing,
  maintaining, and policing such public roadways, and for the
  administration of such laws as may be prescribed by the Legislature
  pertaining to the supervision of traffic and safety on such roads;
  [and for the payment of the principal and interest on county and
  road district bonds or warrants voted or issued prior to January 2,
  1939, and declared eligible prior to January 2, 1945, for payment
  out of the County and Road District Highway Fund under existing
  law;] provided, however, that one-fourth (1/4) of such net revenue
  from the motor fuel tax shall be used for the sole purpose of
  acquiring rights-of-way, constructing, and maintaining such public
  roadways, other than toll roads [shall be allocated to the
  Available School Fund]; and, provided, however, that the net
  revenue derived by counties from motor vehicle registration fees
  shall never be less than the maximum amounts allowed to be retained
  by each County and the percentage allowed to be retained by each
  County under the laws in effect on January 1, 1945. Nothing
  contained herein shall be construed as authorizing the pledging of
  the State's credit for any purpose.
         SECTION 4.  The following temporary provision is added to
  the Texas Constitution:
         TEMPORARY PROVISION. (a)  This temporary provision applies
  to the constitutional amendment proposed by the 83rd Legislature,
  2nd Called Session, 2013, to provide for revenue from motor fuel
  taxes to be used solely for constructing, maintaining, and
  acquiring rights-of-way for certain public roadways and to provide
  for the transfer of certain general revenue to the economic
  stabilization fund and the available school fund.
         (b)  The amendments to Section 49-g, Article III, and Section
  5, Article VII, of this constitution take effect immediately on the
  final canvass of the election on the amendments. If, between
  September 1, 2013, and the effective date of the amendments to
  Section 49-g, Article III, and Section 5, Article VII, of this
  constitution, the comptroller of public accounts has transferred
  from general revenue to the economic stabilization fund amounts in
  accordance with Sections 49-g(c), (d), and (e), Article III, as
  those subsections provided at the time of the transfer, as soon as
  practicable after the effective date of the amendments, the
  comptroller shall return the transferred amounts from the economic
  stabilization fund to general revenue and transfer from general
  revenue to the available school fund and the economic stabilization
  fund amounts in accordance with the amended provisions,
  irrespective of whether the transfers for that fiscal year occur
  before, on, or after the 90th day of the fiscal year beginning
  September 1, 2013.
         (c)  The amendment to Section 7-a, Article VIII, of this
  constitution takes effect January 1, 2014, and applies only to the
  collection and allocation of tax revenue derived from tax liability
  accruing on and after that date.
         (d)  This temporary provision expires January 1, 2015.
         SECTION 5.  This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
  submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 5, 2013.
  The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the
  proposition: "The constitutional amendment to provide for revenue
  from motor fuel taxes to be used solely for constructing,
  maintaining, and acquiring rights-of-way for certain public
  roadways and to provide for the transfer of certain general revenue
  to the economic stabilization fund and the available school fund."